ALLEN PARK -- While the final game of the regular season is
important, the Detroit Lions showed how significant they believe their
upcoming offseason program will be by making the decision to place
rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford on the injured reserve list.

Because it was unlikely Stafford would play next week against the
Chicago Bears, the team decided to make the move to ensure he would be
completely healthy for the offseason program.

Unlike last year, when Stafford was going through the draft
process on his way to becoming the first overall pick, now all of his
time will be devoted to the Lions.

"My focus will be in one spot instead of 'Where am I going to be?'
and all that kind of stuff,'' Stafford said. "I know where I'm going to
be and what we're trying to do here. I'll be able to focus on that.''

Stafford has been sidelined for the past two weeks with a
separated left shoulder and wasn't expected to play Sunday against the
San Francisco 49ers. But that's not why he's going on IR. Stafford has
been dealing with a right knee injury for most of the season and he
will undergo a "minor knee procedure'' Tuesday.

"I can't say it was bothering me, but it hasn't been 100 percent.
It hasn't been something that's been a huge concern,'' Stafford said.

"It's something he's been able to play through, but it was
something we knew we needed to address after the season,'' said Lions
head coach Jim Schwartz, adding that with Stafford on IR, the timetable
on the procedure could be moved up.

Stafford suffered a knee injury against the Bears on Oct. 4 and
missed the next two games. There were reports he suffered a minor
dislocation of the kneecap, but neither Stafford nor the team has
confirmed those reports.

"It's not a repair, it's nothing more than a clean-out,'' Schwartz said. "He'll be able to walk out of the operating room.''

Schwartz said no surgery is planned on Stafford's ailing shoulder.

Also, Schwartz continues to refuse to discuss the details of how Stafford hurt his knee and what exactly was done to it.

"It was just a knee. His only issue was swelling, it wasn't
structure or anything else. If we could manage the swelling we could
get him back on the field and we did that,'' Schwartz said. "It was
something we knew we'd have to address even back then.''

Regardless, Stafford, who started 10 games, said he got a great
deal of experience and is looking forward to more success next season.

"It was 10 games. I won a couple and lost a bunch and hopefully
that changes,'' Stafford said. "I definitely learned a lot and got to
know a bunch of guys I really didn't know, so it's been good.''